Garth Brooks goes to bat for Pirates

Country music star Garth Brooks has come out of “baseball retirement.”

Brooks will spend just over a week participating in spring training with the Pittsburgh Pirates, reporting Monday with the pitchers and catchers.

The 57-year-old, a Pirates fan, has previously been in the camps of the San Diego Padres (1999), New York Mets (2000) and Kansas City Royals (2004).

His workouts start Thursday.

Brooks is briefly returning to the sport to mark the 20th anniversary of the Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation, which has raised more than $100 million for children’s charities. (@garthbrooks)